Patent GB-1226987-A (GB)
IPC: G01P5/24
Filed: 1968-07-09
Abstract: 1,226,987. Ultrasonic pulse-echo apparatus; probes; phase modulation. REALISATIONS ULTRASONIQUES. 9 July, 1968 [10 July, 1967], No. 32667/68. Headings H3R, H4D and H4J. Ultrasonic apparatus comprises a transducer probe in the form of a piezo-electric wafer sandwiched between a damping block and a quarter-wave plate of ultrasound transmissive material, the plate having a spherically curved free surface for focusing an ultrasonic beam at an accurately predetermined point a few millimetres from the curved surface. The apparatus may be used for checking workpiece dimensions, measuring the vibration amplitude of a vibrating part, and measuring the flow rate of a liquid. The transducer probe (Fig. 3) comprises piezoelectric (e.g. ceramic) wafer 21 between loaded plastics damping block 20 and plastics quarterwave plate 22. The plate 22 constitutes an impedance transformer. Vibration measurement (Fig. 1)À-Probe 2 is positioned substantially at its focal distance from the surface of a vibrating part P and then scanned horizontally over the standing wave pattern of part P. The positioning is assisted by a pair of collimated light beams arranged to intersect at the focal point. The separation d of probe 2 from part P is repetitively measured (e.g. every 1/ 2500  sec.) by means of pulse transmitter 1, echo receiver 6 and analogue or digital pulse-echo timer 7 of the display or recording type. For recording contour lines defining the stationary wave system timer 7 comprises a vibration peak amplitude detector which feeds a chart recorder (scanned in synchronism with probe 2) both directly and via a number of threshold circuits each of which applies a marking pulse to the recorder if the peak amplitude corresponds to its particular threshold value. When the vibration frequency is above a few dozen hertz, the vibration is analysed by a stroboscopic sampling method in which the acoustic pulse transmission instant is progressively advanced stepwise relative to the vibration peak. To this end a fixed vibration detector 3 (e.g. a microphone or electrostatic detector) is coupled via amplifier 4 and phaseshifter 5 to trigger the pulse transmitter 1, and the phase-shift is varied step-wise by a counter 10 which responds to the peaks. In a modification, amplifier 4 operates as a frequency doubler and phase-shifter 5 is adjusted manually so that the acoustic transmissions coincide with the vibration amplitude peaks and troughs; timer 7 is then arranged to indicate peak vibration amplitude. Measuring dimensions.-In the Fig. 11 system for measuring the thickness e of workpiece M, transmitting/receiving probes 50, 51 are separated by a distance equal to the spacing D of a further transmitting/receiving probe 52 from a reflector R. Transmission of a pulse E 1  by probe 50 gives an echo R 1  at probe 50, which echo triggers the transmission of a pulse Eg by probe 51 and. results in an echo R 2  at probe 51. Probe 52 transmits at the same time as probe 50 and gives an echo R 3 . The time interval between R 2  and R 3  is a measure of e and is evaluated by device 59. In a modification for measuring the internal diameter of a tube, probes 50 and 51 are arranged back-to-back inside the tube on a tube diameter, probe 52 is not used, and device 59 evaluates the time interval between E 1  and R 2 . In the Fig. 8 system for comparing the dimensions of a test part P and a standard part S, probes 40 and 41 are pulsed simultaneously and the two resulting echoes from P and S are passed by gates 45, 46, to a bi-stable circuit 48. The first echo trips the bi-stable into its "1" state and the second returns it to the "0" state; a recording or digital measurement device 49 indicates the duration of the "1" state. Measuring flow rate.-By spacing probes 40 and 41 of the Fig. 8 system by a fixed distance in a flowing liquid and directing them so that each transmits towards the other, device 49 will indicate the difference between the upstream and downstream pulse propagation times and hence the flow rate. Circuit details.-The phase-shifter (Fig. 4) for triggering the pulse transmitter 1 at progressively-shifted times in relation to the peaks of the oscillatory waveform from detector 3 (Fig. 1) comprises variable capacitance diode 36 and resistor 37. The waveform is applied to the phase-shifter via amplifier 4 and transistor stage 32, and is applied via amplifier 4 to counter 10 which produces a staircase output with one stair per peak of the waveform. The counter output is applied via transformer 38 to diode 36 to vary the phase-shift in a step-wise manner.